SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Department of Emergency Medicine

Rape Crisis Center

The Rape Crisis Program in the Kings County Hospital Emergency Department has been
in existence since February 2001 and provides services twenty-four hours a day, seven
days a week to patients who present to the ED.

The KCH Rape Crisis Program is modeled after the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
model. Our team consists of the triage nurse, sexual assault examiner, social worker,
law enforcement personnel, and the Emergency Department Physician. We provide timely
medical and psychological attention to all patients who present to the Emergency Department
after a sexual assault. A nurse or physician who has had training specific to sexual
assault patient management cares for our sexual assault victims. This model of rape
crisis management assures the effective collection of evidence, appropriate medical
attention, and effective documentation.

The KCH Rape Crisis Program will continue to effectively take part in reducing the
incidence of rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse, and the alleviation of the immediate
and long-term negative physical and emotional effects of sexual assault.

Demographics of Kings County

Kings County Brooklyn has a population of 2,465,326 citizens. Out of this number,
41% are White, 36% are Black or African American, 20% are of Hispanic or Latino background,
8% are Asian, and 10% are undefined. Being a public hospital, Kings County treats
a majority of low-income, uninsured patients who are of Black/African American and
Hispanic/Latino descent.

Rape and Sexual Assault Demographics

New York City had a total of 1,501 Rape cases reported in the year 2004 and 1,461
Rape cases year-to-date for 2005. Last year, 458 cases were reported for Brooklyn
and this year the number of reported cases has reached 428 year-to-date.